Russia’s defence ministry signs contract with Chechen special forces

A recent contract signing between Russia’s defence ministry and the Akhmat group of Chechen special forces has raised eyebrows, as the paramilitary group is currently involved in the Kremlin’s offensive near Mariinka, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. This development comes after Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Russia’s Wagner group of private mercenaries, declined a similar contract offer.

The signing of these contracts is a result of a new Russian law aimed at regulating private armies fighting on behalf of Moscow in Ukraine. The law mandates all “volunteer units” to sign contracts by July 1, effectively placing them under the control of Russia’s Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu. The Kremlin has assured volunteer fighters that they will receive the same benefits as regular troops if they comply with the defence contract’s rules.

Apty Alaudinov, the Akhmat commander, expressed his approval of the contract, stating that his group has “prepared and sent tens of thousands of volunteers” to Ukraine in the past 15 months. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington, DC-based think tank, has reported that Chechen fighters have primarily operated in areas behind the front line after their involvement in brutal battles in Ukrainian cities such as Mariupol, Severodonetsk, and Lysychanak. However, with the intensification of fighting in Russia’s Belgorod earlier this month, it is likely that the troops of Ramzan Kadyrov, the group’s leader, have been ordered to take a more prominent role in the conflict in Ukraine.

In contrast, Prigozhin declared over the weekend that his units “will not sign any contracts with Shoigu,” criticising the defence ministry for its insufficient support of his troops in Ukraine. Prigozhin has been known to release expletive-laden video tirades, in which he scorns Moscow’s military leadership. Kadyrov, on the other hand, has refrained from criticising the defence ministry.

Following the agreement with the Chechen group, Russia’s deputy chief of the general staff, Colonel General Alexei Kim, expressed his hope that other volunteer units would follow their example.